The National Consensus Commission has ruled that the Prime Minister of Bangladesh cannot simultaneously serve as the head of a political party.
The decision was announced on Tuesday during the second phase of the Commission’s 17th day of discussions with political parties at the Foreign Service Academy in Dhaka.
Commission Vice-Chair Professor Ali Riaz made the announcement at the beginning of the day’s session, stating, "A majority of political parties have agreed that the Prime Minister should not also be the party chief.
However, a few parties expressed dissenting views. Those parties and alliances may formally record their objections in the form of a note of dissent in the National Charter."
Parties including the BNP, LDP, Labour Party, NDM, the 12-Party Alliance, the BNP-led Nationalist Unity Alliance, and Amjonotar Dal opposed restrictions on holding multiple roles simultaneously, saying they see no conflict in one person serving as both Prime Minister, party chief, and Leader of the House.
On the other hand, parties such as Jamaat-e-Islami and the National Citizens` Party (NCP) supported the separation of the roles.
Ali Riaz urged the dissenting parties to consider revisiting their positions but confirmed that the right to dissent remains protected. "In line with past practices, parties may enter a note of dissent in the National Charter," he clarified.
Tuesday’s agenda included a final decision on the issue of multiple roles held by the Prime Minister, a unified proposal regarding the caretaker government system based on submissions from different political parties, and discussions on reforms concerning the appointment processes for the Election Commission, Public Service Commission, Auditor General and Comptroller, Anti-Corruption Commission, and the Ombudsman.
At the start of the session, Commission member Dr. Badiul Alam Majumdar read out a condolence statement over the tragic crash of a Bangladesh Air Force training aircraft into the Milestone School and College in Uttara, which resulted in multiple casualties.
